Notre Dame football moves one step closer to stealing a 5-star recruit with elite last name away from long list of top programs
Notre Dame football is pursuing yet another son of a former NFL player.
Notre Dame football has been recruiting on an incredible level under head coach Marcus Freeman. As part of their new recruiting ideology, the Fighting Irish have had a habit of prioritizing players who come from football families, routinely pushing for the sons of former NFL players. That includes the likes of Jerome Bettis Jr., Elijah Burress, Bryce Young, and James Franigan.
In the 2027 recruiting class, the Irish staff is once again pushing for several talented players whose last names are going to make many feel very old. That includes Argyle (Texas) Liberty Christian five-star linebacker Cooper Witten, who is the son of former Dallas Cowboys All-Pro tight end Jason Witten. His father played a total of 17 years in the NFL, and was selected to 11 Pro Bowls.
Notre Dame has been pursuing Witten now for some time, and they are battling hard against a very impressive group of suitors. While you shouldn’t expect a decision in the near future, the Irish did get one step closer to hopefully landing Witten down the road. They were able to make his updated Top-10 schools list, which also included Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Clemson, and Texas Tech.
As of today, Notre Dame is believed to be somewhere in the top five for Witten, but they are not the leader right now. The staff must work hard to get him back on campus as soon as possible, and continue putting together a strong finish to the 2025 season. This is a recruit who is going to try to find the full picture for a potential fit.
Cooper Witten’s recruiting background
Witten is already regarded as one of the very best players in the 2027 recruiting class, by each of the major platforms. He is rated as the No. 21 overall player and No. 1 linebacker in the class according to the 247Sports Composite ranking, as well as being a five-star. They also have Witten pegged as the No. 4 player in the state of Texas.
It’s no surprise that Witten has also demanded the attention of a long list of prominent programs. Some of Witten’s top offers include the Fighting Irish, Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, Michigan, Oregon, Oklahoma, LSU, USC, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Auburn, Arkansas, Missouri, TCU, Kansas State, Texas Tech, SMU, Baylor, Duke, and West Virginia, among many others.
In nine games as a sophomore in 2024, Witten managed to record 45 total tackles, five interceptions, and eight pass breakups. The 6-2, 210-pound defender also forced a fumble, recovered another, recorded a sack, and blocked a punt.
Witten has been even better as a junior for Liberty Christian. The talented defender has managed to record 87 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, one interception, and four pass breakups in seven games. Witten also recorded two sacks, ten quarterback hurries, forced seven fumbles, and had four fumble recoveries. You won’t find a more versatile defender in the class overall.
On top of his stellar play on defense, Witten also made a ton of plays on offense as well. In just seven games played, he managed to haul in 41 receptions for 709 yards and 12 touchdowns. That offensive production would make even his dad proud.
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